Swash plate type refrigerant compressor

A swash plate type refrigerant compressor comprising:

• a cylinder block means provided with a plurality of pairs of front and rear cylinder bores arranged around an axis thereof at a circumferential spacing between adjacent cylinder bores, and a swash plate chamber defined in a substantially middle portion thereof;
• a plurality of double-headed reciprocatory pistons slidably fit in said plurality of pairs of front and rear cylinder bores for effecting suction, compression, and discharge of refrigerant gas;
• an axial drive shaft rotatably supported in said cylinder block means, and having an outer end thereof connectable to an external drive power source;
• a swash plate fixedly mounted on said drive shaft so as to rotate in said swash plate chamber together with said drive shaft, said swash plate being operatively engaged with and reciprocating said plurality of reciprocatory pistons during the rotation thereof;
• a gas inlet means provided in said cylinder block means for introducing a refrigerant gas before compression from the exterior of said compressor into said swash plate chamber of said cylinder block means;
• front and rear housings fixedly attached to front and rear ends of said cylinder block means, said front and rear housings defining therein a discharge chamber for receiving the refrigerant gas after compression;
• a pair of taper roller bearing means mounted in said front and rear housings for rotatably supporting said drive shaft;
• and
• a pair of front and rear rotary valves mounted on said drive shaft so as to be rotated together with said drive shaft, said front rotary valve being operable to control distribution of the refrigerant gas before compression from said swash plate chamber to said front cylinder bores, and said rear rotary valve being operable to control distribution of the refrigerant gas before compression from said swash plate chamber to said rear cylinder bores.